Genetic parameters for calving ease, gestation length and stillbirth in three endangered Austrian blond cattle breeds

Abstract. Genetic parameters were estimated for stillbirth, calving ease and gestation length in three endangered Austrian blond cattle breeds, Carinthian Blond, Murboden and Waldviertel Blond. REML analysis based on an animal model including direct and maternal genetic effects was applied. Direct heritability estimates for calving ease, stillbirth and gestation length varied from 0.003 to 0.111, 0.006 to 0.044 and 0.235 to 0.512, respectively, while maternal heritabilities ranged from 0.001 to 0.007 for calving ease, 0.005 to 0.014 for stillbirth, and 0.002 to 0.063 for gestation length. All pairwise genetic correlations for direct traits were generally moderate to high except for stillbirth-calving ease (−0.077, Carinthian Blond). The genetic correlations of all pairs of the 3 direct traits were positive for Murboden (0.520 to 0.700) and Waldviertel Blond (0.253 to 0.707) while negative genetic correlations were detected for Carinthian Blond (−0.077 to −0.943). Close positive genetic correlations were found between direct stillbirth and calving ease of Murboden (0.700) and between direct calving ease and gestation length of Waldviertel Blond (0.707), while a close negative genetic correlation was found between direct calving ease and gestation length of Carinthian Blond (−0.943).